Before the end of the world
by xjess17
Summary: Ever wondered about what everyone was like before life in the caves? How each character they got there? Find out what what happened to them all, BEFORE the end of thw world
1. Chapter One

Before the end of the world

"Hey guys!'' Jamie exclaimed with a grin, bounding into the room. "Boy, the caves are really soaked … Do you think it'll flood?'' He asked curiously. It seemed like a possibility. The rain had been so heavy, and with all these holes in the roof, there wasn't much we could do to keep the water accumulation down.

"Now, now, settle down, all of ya," Jeb said over the noise. We were all congregated in the recreation room, thanks to the rain. Usually we just had to sleep here when the rain came, but lately it had gotten so bad we were forced to stay here, not wanting to be soaked by the downpour pouring in through the vents.

We all eventually settled into a loose circle on the floor. There wasn't much to do, since we couldn't work in the waterlogged fields, and everyone was too exhausted with the sudden move to this room to think about playing soccer.

"So, now what?" Jamie asked impatiently. "All of us are together, this doesn't happen too often. What can we all do?" Some half-hearted suggestions were thrown around. Games, discussions, sleep, nothing we could agree on though.

"Wanda, how about you tell us a bit more about your past lives? There still must be a lot we don't know still," Doc asked me. Does his curiosity never end?

"Trust me, I could spend weeks telling you about the things I've experienced in my past lives, and I still wouldn't be done. Plus, haven't you all have gotten sick of hearing my voice yet?" I asked only half joking. The only things I could really contribute to my cave family was my stories and helping out on raids, and I always tried to help out as much as I can, but I was tired of listening to my past stories over and over again. This, earth was my home now. I felt no need to think back to other past planets, planets that never appealed to me as much as this one, that never made me truly want to stay. Ian, picking up on my feeling, spoke up with a suggestion of his own.

"You know, not many of us really know about what some of our lives were like before all this. We've all heard of Wanda's and Melanie's and Jared and Jamie's, but that's about it… Why don't we take turns, share our stories from before?''

This spiked my curiosity. I've wondered about others' lives before all this, but always felt too rude to ask. The crowd responded with a similar reaction. Many were curious about their living mate's lives from before all this, but also seemed nervous about sharing their own stories.

"Well why not?'' Trudy asked. "We can find out what we were all like, from before the end of the world.''

**~Authors note~**

**Okay so I hope this is alright. I'm a bit rusty with all this; I haven't been on fanfiction in over a year. Please comment and tell me what you think, and any idea's you may have, and who's backstory you would like to hear first. Bye xx**


	2. Chapter Two  Jeb

Before the end of the world: Jeb

"Sounds good to me … Would ya like me to start 'er off?'' Jeb offered. I found this surprising, he isn't usually so open. Maybe he was just grateful for the distraction, or maybe he sensed the awkwardness in the room and though he'd get the ball rolling. Either way, I was curious about his back story.

"Alrighty then, so here's my story…"

_ They'd call it insane. They'd call it stupid. I'd call it a butt saver if I've ever seen one. So sure I was a bit bruised up. No one ever said butt savers come easy._

_ And they never come when yer looking for one either, might I add. I was just walking around the desert, minding my own business, when the ground beneath me collapses. Can you believe it? I wound up in some caves, covered in purple dirt. Probably wasn't my best idea, but my curiosity won out in the end. I flipped on my flashlight, and explored the tunnels. This place had potential! No one believed me when I said the body snatchers would be up and getting us soon. They thought I was losing my mind. Could they not notice the random disappearances? And how strange they were when they came back? Everything slowly changing, from the news stories right down to the laundry detergent commercials? Well even if they couldn't, I sure could. Everyone always said I came from a paranoid family… That could be true, but then again I'd like to think of us as insightful. _

_ This place would be great with a little bit of elbow grease. Tunnel after tunnel, leading room sized bubbles. Cracks in the ceiling providing random spots of light. A running stream. I couldn't have thought up a better design myself. A great place to hid, once the snatchers took over._

_ I tried letting certain people I wanted to keep safe know about the tunnels. Magnolia laughed. A friend of mine rejected me. My own brother turned on me. But not before I could leave a map of sorts there. Sooner or later, one of them would need a place to hide. They were a smart family, they could figure it out. Unless it was too late of course … Than I'd rather they didn't._

_ My days turned to me and my shovel. I came home tracking purple dust behind me every night. I was working on widening cracks and crevices, making more light holes, day dreaming up the rules of the community that would be home for the few survivors._

_ I was never a huge science fiction fan when I was younger, all into those alien stories. Yet here I was, preparing myself for some alien invasion… For the end of our world. Yet, even with all these conflicts and hard ships, I found myself curious more than anything. I was frightened of their coming, but also found myself wondering about why and how they were coming. About how they stole and took over bodies. How almost no one realized this was all happening under their very noses. _

_ It had officially begun. These aliens weren't hiding anymore… Now it was our turn. Humans knew what was going on, and starting running. I was waiting for those who knew about this place to turn up. Hopefully soon, Magnolia would show up with her Sharon, bitter over not being right. My brother should show up, with his wife who I'm sure didn't like me all too much. His kids, my nephew Jamie, my niece Melanie. They would all be here soon… Unless they got caught. Those no good, nasty little parasites. _

"No offense kid,'' Jeb said, throwing an apologetic look at me.

"None taken, if I were in your position, I would likely be thinking the same thing." I replied as a stupid blush crept over my cheekbones and neck. Pet's body reacted to the thirty something pairs of human eyes boring into her. "Continue your story Jeb, I'm getting quite curious myself now," I said, hoping to shift the attention from me. Jeb laughed, sensing what I was trying to do.

_ We had a little community developing almost. People working together, all for the greater good. Strange as it was, but life did in fact continue. We still worked, ate, slept, hoped, dreamed loved, felt tired, hungry, hot, sad, angry, on edge … We were still human, even if the rest of the population wasn't. _

_ I found myself thinking back, way back, when I was resting those few chances I actually got to rest. Way before all this mess, before I would even entertain the idea of an alien invasion. Good 'ole memories, just floating around my head. Like when I was ten and lived on a farm. How I loved all the animals. When a sick dog was about to be put down, I'd look into its eyes, and could've sworn it knew what was coming. How sad it would look, and frightened. At first, the thought of killing any living thing seemed repulsive to me. I guess it didn't make sense, since I'd look forward to the days my mother made things like beef and chicken for dinner, but I hated the thought of taking an innocent's life. That was, until it became my job. _

_ My father, a slightly twisted man, thought it would teach me character. Anytime an animal was to be killed, whether for food, or leather, or disease, it fell upon my shoulders. How would I be able to do this, to kill so easily without a thought? Easier than it sounds apparently._

_ It sounds crazy, but whenever I would kill an animal, I'd find a way to almost justify it. Like think of something bad the certain animal had done, or think that what I'm doing was for the better good. That way, it didn't hurt me as much to see a breathing body turn still, knowing it would stay still from now on, and that it was because of me. And nothing could change that._

_ This way of thinking sure helped in the caves. It was my house, people had to abide by my rules, or there were either kicked out, or shot. I had to think about the entire population in our home, other than that one individual. That if they did something to hurt my entire family, it should matter who that person was, they could do it again. So their gone. _

_ But then again, it's easier said than done. _

"That's not how you acted about the situation when _she_ arrived," Magnolia said under her breath. I'd thought any venom she still felt toward me had begun to fade. Guess I was wrong. Humans would always seem so strange to me.

"Now there Magnolia, do you have a complaint? Wanda wasn't doin' nothing wrong in my book. She was more frightened than us than anyone of us could ever be of her. She wasn't hurting anyone or nothing, plus she was interesting company. I'd hardly say shootin' her would be part of the greater good.'' Jeb replied, with what to him was a statement of affection. Magnolia just sat there with a hateful look on her lined face.

"It's weird to think of Uncle Jeb so young, when I see him here looking how he does now," Melanie whispered over to me.

"He doesn't look THAT old, well to me anyways." Although it could be how he acts rather than how he looks that made him seem younger than his real age to me.

"He never told me any of this stuff when I was a kid. My parents tried to keep a lot of my dad's side of the family away from me and Jamie, they thought they were insane." Melanie said with a bit of a chuckle. "If only they were around now to see all this," she continued, her smile turning sad.

"Mel, wherever or whoever they are right now, I know their proud of you. More than anything." I say to her, not only trying to cheer her up, but because it was true. What parent wouldn't want such a brave and loving child to call their own? Even if a bit violent.

"I hope so. I hope their proud of how I'm trying to take care of Jamie. It gets pretty confusing sometimes."

"I know," I reply, because I _do _know. "I shared a mind with you once, remember?" I say, nudging her. We both giggled a little bit.

"Wow Jeb, guess we learned a thing or two about you today," said Heath.

"You betcha. So now, who's the next victim?" He asked with a little smile.

** Authors note - Okay so I hope you guys like it! Is this how you though Jeb was like beforehand? Or did you picture him differently? How did you imagine him then? Comment and tell me what you thought he was like. Also tell me whose backstory you want to hear next. And maybe a few words of encouragement and constructive criticism would be nice c:**


	3. Chapter 3  Doc

Before the end of the world: Doc

"I guess your 'victim' would be me." Doc said with a little smirk of his own. I was surprised with this one too. Who knew it would be all the men so willing to share their past stories and thoughts?

Sharon gave him a little worried look as he scooted closer to the middle of the circle, slightly away from her. I got a venom filled look when she noticed that _I _had noticed.

"My story's not the most interesting to listen to, but I think it might explain a bit of why I am how I am today." Doc said.

"I don't remember exactly _when_ it started. I noticed my grandmother losing her temper easily. I noticed my father tired quickly all of a sudden. I've walked in on my mother crying countless times. But I never knew what was going on all those years until I was around nine. My parents decided I should finally know.

_Cancer. That simple word tore a hole through my chest. It was a single word, not even a whole sentence. But it was the prelude to something much worse… A death sentence. _

_My father, who was so strong, and hardworking … He never took a sick day in his life! Cancer? How can this happen? How will I get used to this?_

"I didn't really have a choice. I _had_ to get used to it. My mother and grandmother needed me."

_As my father got sicker and weaker, I had to grow up. No more being the care free kid I was. My father always made the majority of our income, my mother only working part time. Even her working more hours wasn't enough. I got a part time job after school, sweeping up hair in a barber shop. It wasn't much, but it helped. _

_There were no more family walks each Sunday. No, his legs have grown too weak for that. No more family road trips. What if something went wrong? No more being lazy and watching Saturday cartoons. There was always house work to help out with that my father couldn't do. _

_I come home one day to see my mother crying. This wasn't an unusual sight for me; sadly, I've gotten almost used to it. But there was something different. Her usually silent tears have turned into large gasping sobs. She held on the kitchen counter for support. Her face was red and puffy, as though she had been crying for a while. In a heartbeat I had known what happened. _

"I ran to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. There wasn't much a twelve year old boy could do."

_I buried my face into her shoulder. On a normal occasion I would have never shown such a display of affection. This was _not_ a normal occasion._

_My father, though a good man, was a tough man as well. He always taught me never to cry, don't put your weakness on display where everyone can see it. Yet I couldn't help it. How could I, when someone who seemed so real and vital to me just the other day, was now gone? And I would never, ever see his face again?_

"My father was the first person I have ever known who has passed away. It wasn't something I was used to. Although, I seemed to have gotten used to it pretty quick." Doc said with a grim laugh.

_I said before that everything was different now. I never would have imagined that things could've gotten even worse. My mother was so distant, too distracted to do much house work or cooking. I learned pretty quickly how to do that on my own. That, balanced with school work, plus my part time job didn't give me much time to be a regular kid. It was times like this I really wished I had siblings. My grandmother helped when she could, but she was old, and tired, and couldn't do much. But as much as I missed my old life, I missed my father even more. Now, I was the man of the house. Even the thought of that churned my stomach. I wanted to keep my family safe and healthy, but I was just a child! Not even in high school yet!_

"My graduation day was painful. In a way, I was excited of course. I was an adult, finished high school, off into the world on my own. But in a way, I was also abandoning my family. And they needed me. I was leaving my emotionally disturbed mother, who never quite picked up all her pieces when my dad passed away. And my poor grandmother, who was getting sicker and more tired each day. Sure, I could've went to a nearby community college, so I could look after them whenever I needed to, then get a job as like a painter or butcher or something like that. But they needed to learn to take care of themselves. Or at least that was what I would tell myself."

_I stared back at my home. This may be the last time I'll ever see it. I hugged my grandmother, telling her I'll visit as soon as possible. We both knew the truth, that now that I was free, there was a small chance I was coming back. I'll miss her stories. But not enough. I kiss my mother on the cheek, listening to her warning me. 'Be careful Eustace! Eat all your vegetables! Study hard! Call whenever you can!' I'll miss her voice. But not enough._

_I couldn't describe the feeling that coursed through me as I drove away in my beat up hand me down car. I was finally free. No more responsibilities, no more taking care of the people who were supposed to be the people to care for _me._ I was able to do whatever I wanted, whenever. Yet, why did I feel so homesick when I was barely out the driveway? That I wanted nothing more than to turn around and hug the two most important women in my life and never go? Because there _was_ something I wanted more. I was going to medical school in Arizona. I was going to be a doctor. Many were surprised at my choice. Everyone assumed I'd find a job that required little schooling and a lot of physical labor, like my father. But no, I wanted not to pile up bricks; but to save lives. So no one would have to lose their father, or any other family member. So no one would have to do what I did, and grow up so quickly. _

_I never really did fit in anywhere. My social skills weren't developed to that great of an extent, since I never really had a chance to have many friends. I couldn't add a social life onto what was already a full plate. _

_Medical school was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had such a curiosity about how and why things worked like they did in our bodies. While other students were out at parties every other night, getting wasted and doing lord knows what, I was in my dorm, reading. I couldn't deny I had I thirst for knowledge. Once I had a question, I wouldn't be satisfied until it was answered. Before I knew it, it was my last year here. My past years have been mostly me reading, studying; I got a part time job at a coffee shop, and met a girl who lead me down the wrong path. I wasn't used to being seen as anything put strange and too into my school work to a girl. I was surprised and a bit intrigued by a woman who actually found me appealing. But she got me into drinking heavily whenever there was a problem. Well, I guess there was no one to blame but myself for my problem. She only introduced me into the habit; it was no one but myself who clung to it with such desperateness. To me, it was like a break from the pain, I could forget anything and everything. But it was taking over my life. Needless to say, me and here were no longer together. _

_Another graduation day. This one not as painful as the last. My mother and grandmother came out to see. It honestly scared me to see my grandmother looking so frail. My mother looked different as well. Her usually sad eyes were hardened over. She borrowed the face of someone who has seen and heard too much in their lives. Not the face of my mother, so sad and scared. _

_This time, as I walked across the stage towards the podium, I didn't feel scared. I didn't feel like a lost little boy in need of his mother and father who could never really be there for him again; I was a man, who could care for himself, and knew exactly where I was going in life. A few weeks earlier, I had been offered a job at the local hospital. I'd start there and work my way up. I was going to be a fantastic doctor, someone who could take care of himself, and his family. Who knew exactly where he was going, and where he would end up. _

"Or so I thought at the time," Doc chuckled darkly again. "Oh, how wrong was I."

_I loved my job. I knew this was what I wanted in a career. To be able to help people, and actually understand what was happening to them. I had finally found my place in this world, the one thing I was best at. _

"This part I will always remember. I remember it was a Tuesday, and I was a bit hung over that day at work. I was tired and wanted nothing but to go home and sleep. That changed pretty quickly. It was raining a lot today, so it wasn't unexpected that there were a few accidents." 

_My name was being called. I needed to go to the emergency room stat. A car accident, involving a middle aged woman and an elderly woman._

"That should've been a clue enough …"

_I'm getting information as I walk through the corridors. The middle aged woman was in dire condition. I heard nothing about the elderly women which should have worried me. _

_I walked into the room, expecting this to be like any other day helping a patient. Instead, it was a day that changed my life. _

"I walk in and I saw … my mother, she was, lying there. So still, and … Broken." Doc was having a hard time getting out the words. It hurt me to see him so choked up.

_I start rushing. I'm doing the absolute best I can do, though my eyes started to fill up with those dreaded tears, that I would not let spill over. _

_There wasn't anything we could do. Sooner or later, I was going to lose her… this was it._

_I saw the flutter of her eyelids. I know she was becoming lucid, or at least close enough. I grab her hand and bury my face in her shoulder, just like I used to when I was younger. _

"_Mom," I cry, choked up. "Mom I know I don't say this enough, but I love you. I love you more than anything." It was really getting hard to keep back the tears now, as sobs were threatening their way up. _

"_Baby, don't worry about it. You'll be fine. Your sucha strong person, you always were. I love you." She said with much difficulty. _

"_Grandma?" I asked, my voice still thick with the unshed tears._

"_She… didn't make it. It was quick for her. No pain." She said, her eyes shining._

"_Mom," I said one more time. There wasn't much for me to say… It would all be over soon._

"_Eustace, it doesn't make you any less of a man to cry. It just makes you a man who's gone through too much. Never be afraid to show your true feelings. I love you, and I know you'll do great things with your life. I love you." _

"It hurt to watch her struggle so much, so say such simple words… But these simple words were the last things I would ever hear her say." Doc's voice broke at the end.

_Her breathing hitched, than quieted. I felt her body go still and calm underneath me. My face returned to her shoulder and I held on for dear life. I let out all those tears I have been keeping in. Every single time I ever had wanted to cry in my life; my father's death, my lost childhood, my ongoing recovery from heavy alcoholism, losing my mother and grandmother all at once; this all came out. Every unshed tear left my body now, and onto my mother's shirt. In a way she'd be taking this with her… one last part of me._

"Almost a year later, I became aware of the oncoming invasion. Now, I was a man of science; I never should have believed this stuff. But this old kook," Doc gave Jeb a sly smile, wiping away the last of his tears, "Convinced me on it. So I became a part of this community. One of the smartest things I have ever done."

"Sure I miss my days as a doctor, but I have everything I need done here. I have fantastic friends. People who are almost family. I met one woman in particular who my life wouldn't be complete without," He shot Sharon a loving smile. This surprised all of us; Doc wasn't usually so open with their relationship.

"I'll always miss my old life. They all made me who I am today. But I'm happy with my new life here, as happy as a man can be at the end of the world he knew."

**Authors note – Okay do I hope you guys liked this! I want to dedicate this to my friend, who died of cancer just yesterday. Rest in peace, you will always be in our hearts 3 That's why this chapters sort of a serious one. Please leave rates and comments, and suggestions.**


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